Los Angeles daily herald., 1887-06-25
PACIFIC COAST.
Furious Fire Raging in
the COmstOck.
WORKMEN UNABLE TO ESCAPE
Close of the Prosecution in the Del
Monte Fire Case-SOuthern

Associated Press Dlspatcnes 70 the hEhALp.
VIRGINIA CITY, June PA fire broke
out about o'clock this evening at some
point below the l3O0.foot level in the
Gould l. Curry mine. The miners on
the l3OO.foot level in the Best & Belcher
mine came up on the cage through the
shaft nearly suffocated. Those on the
6OO.foot level in the Gould & Curry, es-
capped through the Savage incline to the
surface. There are still six men below
employed in driving an upraise above
the l50O.foot level in the Best & Belcher
mine. These are still in the mine and
are frantically ringing signal bells for
help. The cage in the Bonner shaft is
at the 1900 foot station, but the men
cannot see it on account Of the dense
volumes of smoke from the fire. There
is connection with the Gould & Curry
shaft on the Sutro tunnel level
whereby they can escape by descending
the Curry incline, but it is feared that
the smoke is too dense for them to ven
ture there. The names of five Of the
imprisoned miners are Edward Jeffrey,
Martin Tregallis, John Kennedy, P.
Eddy and Charles Dougherty. The
name of the sixth has not yet been as
certained. How the ire originated is q
mystery. It is surmised that it was
caused by ignitipg gas from the Consoli-
dated California. Virginia mine, but as
there is no fire in that mine this theory
is denied. Fans and blowers are kept
going at high rate Of speed to supply
air to the men imprisoned in the mine.
but column of dense smoke is rolling
out of the shaft in such a volume that
the engine room is filed with smoke,
and it is feared that the engineers will
be forced to desert their posts.
MORE MEN IMPRISONED.
In addition to the miners imprisoned
in the Best & Belcher mine there are five
men imprisoned on the S00.foot level in
the Gould 4 Curry, as follows: Richard
Bennett, s. w. James, H. 7. Cara, w.
Williams and James Trembath. On
the 40O.foot level in the same mine are
imprisoned: Joncey Morgan, W.. G.
Carpenter, R. G. Bruce and Andrew
Bean, making total of fifteen men in
ALL Those On the 400-foot level had
only one way to escape. An attempt to
reach the men ON the 800-foot level was
made by descending through the Savage
incline, but the rescuing party failed to
reach there.
THEIR RESCUE IMPROBABLE.
There is little hope of those ON the
400 foot level escaping. The windows
hovo h.ar rovuova1 from tha hoistiuu
works and the engineers ore sending
down supply of fresh air to all the
levels where the miners are imprisoned.
There is crowd of 1000 people blocking
the street in front of the hosting works,
and the most intense excitement pre-.
walls. The fire department is on the
ground ready for service in case the fire
should reach the surface. Any attempt
to put out the fire in the mine would
prove fruitless as it is not known al
what point it is located, though it is
thought to be at some point below the
1900 foot level. Signals from the 1900
foot level have ceased and it is feared
that the men have perished from suffo
cation. An attempt to reach them is
being made by volunteers who descend
ed through the Gould and Curry and
tho Savage shafts.
FIVE MEN FOUND DEAD.
The rescuing party after several at
tempts to rea3h the men imprisoned on
the 400. foot level finally found five of
them dead. Their names are John
Trounce, Joncey Morgan, R. c. Bruce,
W. C. Carpenter and Andrew Bean.
They were evidently asphyxiated while
endeavoring to escape. Their bodies
were still warm and efforts to resusci.
tate them are being made by physicians.
but with no hopes of success. Miners
are still testing the air in the Bonner
shaft with lighted candles in lanterns in
order to ascertain If it is safe to venture
to the rescue of the six men still impris-
oned on the 1900. foot level in the Best
and Belcher. After lowering lanterns,
less than fifty feet below the surface,
however, the lighted candles in them
were extinguished as suddenly as if
snuffed out. No danger of the fire
communicating with other mines is ap-
pretended. The fire is evidently not
burning with the fury it did before,
from the fact that the volume of smoke
is decreasing.
GRIEvED RELATIVES.
Geo. Henning, father.in-law of young
Morgan, one of the five dead men found,
was soovercome on hearing the news.
that he tainted and was conveyed to his
home in wagon where he still lies un-
conscious. The wife of the deceased is SO
overwhelmed with grief that fears are
entertained that she may lose her reason.
She had only been married few weeks.
There is no visible abatement of excite
ment as the night wears on.
GuNu m ONS, TRIAL.